Cynic or sage? Battery factory is good news
By Teri Casiokola · AMISFIELD, 19th March 2026
Will the new Dumfries battery factory unleash the usual cynicism? Or are you ready to acknowledge good news?
The motto of this newspaper is “Beware of cynicism dressed up as wisdom.” It’s a botched version of something said more eloquently by Ocean Vuong in an interview and it cleared a lot of the scales from my eyes. So I “borrowed” and adapted it.
We all know that folk love to have a moan. It’s a default position for some people. But what Ocean Vuong’s phrase unlocked for me is that the instant reach for the cynical, pessimistic position is often wrapped up as a thoughtful, considered, dare I say wise position. E.g. “Because something was botched in the past, all new things will be botched”. “Because something needed to change, but it wasn’t changed immediately, then things never change.” The cynicism is delivered with pseudo evidence in an all knowing tone.
I realised this because I was hearing this on a daily basis. I was sick of listening to this stream of shite all the time so I got up and walked away. I should have probably just given the moaning old duffers a hug, but cynicism runs deep and there’s a foundation of fear that underpins it all. We all moan, we all nod sagaciously and guess what, nothing changes, rinse repeat.
Here’s some good news …
This week it was announced that a new battery factory will be opened in Dumfries, bringing 700 jobs to the town. The home batteries already have a pipeline of customers - namely housing associations and the like (RSLs) who will use them to improve homes, reduce folks energy bills and contribute to their climate commitments. The battery chemistry means they aren’t a fire risk.
That’s good news right?
But I’m counting down, 3… 2… 1… for a gaggle of armchair experts to suddenly pipe up, uninvited, to knock this good news down.
See that as a gift my lovely Doonhamers; a bonus for y’all. When these dug in cynics reveal themselves you have a choice. Walk away or give them a hug. It’s your choice.
Illegitimi non carborundum!